She specifically said this wasn't a comment about the site itself. If anything it was a comment about other members on the forums, something you can't really control as site creator. Sure there are lots of names on the site, but the same ones are mentioned a lot in the forums. Plus who said anything about leaving?

Thanks, Jackal. Pam, I read your two posts below as well. I have no intention of leaving and never said I did- evh may have brought up unbookmarking Nameberry but that's not what my original post was suggesting. I agree, Nameberry has an excellent database of names that a lot of other sites don't provide, and my comment wasn't suggesting that Nameberry is limited or anything, just asking if anyone else has noticed that the same names are constantly popping up on the forums. I think it's a bit unfair to say I'm trashing the site. It's just an observation, not intended to be a harsh one even if it reads that way (sorry!). Certainly not trying to spark a discussion on leaving NB, just bringing up something I've noticed.

I don't think the 'Nameberry taste' is overwhelming at all. I've noticed that Isla and the other names you mentioned aren't mentioned in a lot of signatures, perhaps two or three, but they're not so popular that they become overwhelming to me.

Originally Posted by lexiem

I hear what your saying.... I feel like I try to do my best to suggest or give advice by what the OP says but can’t say I’m not totally un-guilty of not always getting it right. I think it often has a lot to do with OP’s not necessarily being clear in what they are asking. Yes sometimes it’s Sophia vs Emma.... but often its “can you suggest names I might like” without more - I feel like if I tried to answer more than one of those a week I’d be constantly asking for more information, clarification or guidance.

You can often tell someone's naming style from their signature, without having to know them personally. I think this is why there are a lot of threads asking for more name suggestions.

Originally Posted by geeknamezyo

Another thing I'm tired of? The popularity debate. I feel like people tend to get hypocritical, defensive and sanctimonious really fast whenever someone posts "How much does popularity matter?" or anything to that effect.

I agree. Popularity doesn't bother me at all, and I wouldn't stop liking a name because it's in the top five or ten of the popularity charts. A lot of my favourite names are within the top 1000 of my country. I would be more bothered about the flow of names and associations.

There's a Berry Taste for sure, but I still get introduced to a name or two a week, some I like, some I don't. The most recent was Ivik on Zelia's Asta vs Avalon thread, well, from her signature anyway. I have such a crush on Ivik now that I've been introduced to it. If you're looking to discover names, watch signatures, or get good at asking for what you want.

Originally Posted by lexiem

I think it often has a lot to do with OP’s not necessarily being clear in what they are asking.

That, times infinity. I get burnt out on NB (the forums I mean, not the site itself) after weeks of suggesting names to people who aren't specific enough, or worse, who never give you feedback on the names you've suggested. The poster in this thread who said she was going to unbookmark the site, I took a look at her threads and she doesn't let people know what she likes or dislikes about the names suggested. She just posts "thanks, any more" over and over. That's nice and all, but not helpful. It's difficult to help people find a new name if they don't let you know why the do or do not like the names you've already suggested.

Lexie's suggestion to provide emotional, visual or auditory inspiration, or a list of your hobbies or something is great advice. Anytime I've posted for help with names or suggestions, I've gotten exactly what I needed. I usually post a photo, or tell a story to help other posters get a sense for what I'm looking for. It really makes a difference!

I think quite a lot of the Berry faves are off the beaten track. What happens is we see them every day and they start feeling stale, but these names aren't worn out in the real world, they're fresh and new. It's rough being a name nerd. All these gorgeous names feel like yesterday's news to us.

Well, I don't have 'Berry taste' and I'm not bothered. Granted, I rarely find new names here but I'm really not searching

To me, the names in your sig pretty much fall in line with 'Berry taste'. Are you interest in names that are totally different than what you have?

Originally Posted by lexiem

I hear what your saying.... I feel like I try to do my best to suggest or give advice by what the OP says but can’t say I’m not totally un-guilty of not always getting it right. I think it often has a lot to do with OP’s not necessarily being clear in what they are asking. Yes sometimes it’s Sophia vs Emma.... but often its “can you suggest names I might like” without more - I feel like if I tried to answer more than one of those a week I’d be constantly asking for more information, clarification or guidance.

Yes! This! If the OPs aren't specific I'm usually not going to respond. In the past I did only to find that my suggestions weren't anywhere near the mark. They'll ask for "nature names" but that's a very broad category. I suggest Ibis & Clementine while what they're truly interested in is Robin & Lily. And if they have a signature, I use that as a guide. So if the OP's sig has classic & simple names like William, I'm not going to suggest Aristotle. However if that person specifically says 'I want something more daring & exotic' then I'll suggest more out-there names